January 24 – Today in Music History

1933 Zeke Carey born in Bluefield, W. Virginia. US Singer with The Flamingos (1959 US No.11 single ‘I Only Have Eyes For You’. 1975 UK No.1 hit for Art Garfunkel). Died on 24th December 1999. 1936 Jack Scott (Jack Scafone Jr.) born in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. Canadian singer/Songwriter/Guitarist1941 Aaron Neville born in New Orleans, Louisiana. Vocalist with The Neville Brothers, (1966 US No.2 single ‘Tell It Like It Is’, 1989 UK No.2 single with Linda Ronstadt’ Don’t Know Much’). 1941 Neil Diamond (Neil Leslie diamond) born in New York. US singer, songwriter, (1970 US No.1 & UK No.3 single ‘Cracklin’ Rose’ plus over 30 US & 10 UK Top 40 singles. Wrote ‘I’m A Believer’, No.1 for The Monkees. Many acts from Elvis Presley, Lulu and Deep Purple have all covered his songs. With his 2008 album ‘Home Before Dark’ Diamond became the oldest artist to have a US number one, the record was previously held by Bob Dylan in 2006 with ‘Modern Times’.

1941 Ray Stevens (Ray Ragsdale) born in Clarksdale, Georgia. US Singer/Songwriter, (1970 US No.1 & UK No.6 single ‘Everything Is Beautiful’ 1974 US & UK No.1 single ‘The Streak’). 1947 Warren Zevon born in Chicago, IIIinois. Singer, son of Russian Immigrants, Songwriter?Pianist. , singer/songwriter. He had played piano with The Everly Brothers, recorded over 15 solo albums and had the 1978 US No.21 single ‘Werewolves Of London’). He died on September 7th 2003. 1949 John Belushi born in Chicago, Illinois. actor, singer, Joliet ‘Jake’ Blues, The Blues Brothers, died of a drug overdose 5/3/82. (1990 UK No.12 single ‘Everybody Needs Somebody To Love’). 1953 Eddie Fisher was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘Outside Is Heaven’. American singer and entertainer divorced his first wife, Debbie Reynolds to marry his best friend’s widow, Elizabeth Taylor, too much unwelcome publicity at the time. Eddie is father of actress Carrie Fisher.1953 Matthew Wilder born in Manhatan, New York. US singer, he had a hit in 1983 with ‘Break My Stride’. 1955 Jools Holland born in London, England. UK Keyboard Player with UK Squeeze, Jools Holland Big Band, TV presenter on The Tube, Juke Box Dury and Later. (1979 UK No.2 single with Squeeze, ‘Up The Junction’). Became a TV presenter on the long running UK music show The Tube, and then the BBC music show Later… With Jools Holland. He also tours and releases records with the Jools Holland Big Band. 1957 Elvis Presley recorded ‘Teddy Bear’. 1958 Elvis Presley was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘Jailhouse Rock’. It became the first ever single to enter the chart at No.1 and was Presley’s second UK No.1. It went on to sell over 4 million copies in the US. 1958 The Quarry Men performed at the Cavern Club, in Liverpool, (this was the bands only performance at the club). It was three years later when they appeared again at the Cavern but under their new name as The Beatles. 1962 Brian Epstein signed a management deal with The Beatles. Epstein was to receive 25 per cent of the bands gross earnings, the normal management deal was 10 per cent. 1963 American lyricist Otto Harbach died aged 90 in New York City. He co-wrote, ‘Smoke Gets In Your Eyes’, US & UK No.1 for The Platters in 1958. 1963 Keech Rainwater born in Plano, Texas. Drummer with Lonestar, (2000 US No.1 & UK No. 21 single ‘Amazed’). 1968 Georgie Fame was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘The Ballad Of Bonnie and Clyde’, the singers third and last UK No.1. 1969 New Jersey state prosecutors issue a warning to US record dealers that they would be charged with distributing pornography if they were caught selling the John Lennon / Yoko Ono LP ‘Two Virgins’. The front cover of the album showed the pair frontally nude, while the back cover showed them from behind. The album still managed to reach No.124 on the US, but failed to chart at all in the UK, where only 5,000 copies were ever pressed. 1969 The Doors appeared at Madison Square Garden, New York City, They were paid over $50,000 for the gig making them one of the highest paid acts this year. 1970 James Sheppard, the lead singer from the Heartbeats and Shep and the Limelites, was found murdered in his car on the Long Island Expressway. The US singer had been beaten and robbed. The Limelites reached No.2 in the US in 1961 with ‘Daddy’s Home’. 1970 Led Zeppelin appeared at Leeds University, Leeds, England. It was at this show when Zeppelin had a meeting with fine arts lecturer Zacron to discuss their ideas for the album sleeve of the band’s next album, Led Zeppelin III. Zacron, born Richard Drew, had studied at Kingston College of Art with members of the Yardbirds. 1973 “Crazy Horses” album by The Osmonds was certified Gold by the RIAA1974 Chris Hesse (Christopher River Hesse) born in northern California. Drummer with Hoobastank who scored the 2004 US No.2 hit ‘The Reason’. 1974 Melissa Tkautz born in Sydney. Australian Actress/Singer. She had a hit with ‘Read My Lips”. 1975 Paul Marazzi born in Wanstead, London. UK Singer with A1 who had the 2000 UK No.1 single, ‘Same Old Brand New You’. 1976 Bob Dylan started a five week run at No.1 on the US chart with his 17th studio album Desire. The album features ‘Hurricane’, which protests the conviction of former middleweight boxer Rubin ‘Hurricane’ Carter for triple murder in 1966, arguing his innocence. 1976 Diana Ross went to No.1 on the US singles chart with ‘Theme From Mahogany’, the singers third US No.1, a No.5 hit in the UK. 1976 “Walk Away From Love” by David Ruffin peaked at #9 on the US singles chart.1976 “Rock And Roll All Nite (Live)” by Kiss peaked at #12 on the US singles chart.1976 “Fly Away” by John Denver peaked at #13 on the US singles chart.1976 “I Love Music (part 1)” by O’Jays peaked at #5 on the US singles chart.1977 Appearing at the Roxy, London, England, The Buzzcocks supported by Chelsea. Also appearing at the venue over the last week, The Damned, The Boys, The Adverts, Slaughter And The Dogs and Squeeze. 1978 The Buzzcocks appeared at the Roxy, in London, England, supported by Chelsea. Also appearing at the venue over the last week; The Damned, The Boys, The Adverts, Slaughter And The Dogs and Squeeze. 1978 “Little Criminals” album by Randy Newman was certified Gold by the RIAA. It inlcuded ‘Short People’, a song that delt with the issue of bigitory. It also earned him the loathing of thousands of short people who failed to get the message.1978 Workers at EMI’s record pressing plant refused to press copies of The Buzzcocks forthcoming release ‘What Do I Get’ because of the title on the B-side ‘Oh Shit.’ 1979 The Clash released their first single in the US, ‘I Fought The Law’ (written by Sonny Curtis of Buddy Holly’s Crickets). 1979 Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys divorced his wife Marilyn after 15 years together. She was a member of the Honeys and mother of Wendy and Carnie Wilson, who would go on to sing in Wilson-Phillips. 1980 Spandau Ballet appeared at The Blizt Club, London, England. 1980 A billboard was erected on Sunset Strip, West Hollywood, California to promote Pink Floyd’s new album The Wall. A blank wall was pasted up and each day a brick was ‘removed’ to slowly reveal the inside spread and title of the album. 1981 Adam And The Ants started a 10-week run at No.1 on the UK chart with their debut album ‘Kings Of The Wild Frontier’. 1981 “Time Is Time” by Andy Gibb peaked at #15 on the US singles chart.1981 Steve Tyler of Aerosmith was hospitalised after being involved in a crash on his motorbike. 1981 Adam And The Ants Adam And The Ants started a 10-week run at No.1 on the UK chart with their debut album ‘Kings Of The Wild Frontier’. 1981 “It’s My Turn” by Diana Ross peaked at #9 on the US singles chart.1986 George McCrae died on this day in Florida. He had one hit with ‘Rock You Baby’.1987 Billy Vera and the Beaters started a two week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with ‘At This Moment’ not a hit in the UK. 1987 “Coming Around Again” by Carly Simon peaked at #18 on the US singles chart.1987 “Someday” by Glass Tiger peaked at #7 on the US singles chart.1992 “Rush Street” album by Richard Marx was certified Gold by the RIAA. Including ‘Take This Heart’ & ‘Hazard’. 1992 Nirvana played their first ever show in Australia at the Phoenician Club in Sydney. Also on the bill, Tumbleweed and The Meanies. 1995 David Cole producer, keyboards, C & C Music Factory died of meningitis aged 32. (1991 UK No.4 single ‘Things That Make You Go Hmmm…’, 1991 US No.1 single ‘Gonna Make You Sweat’. Produced Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston and Aretha Franklin. 1996 “Missing” single by Everything But The Girl was certified Gold by the RIAA1998 Oasis went to No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘All Around The World’. The longest running-time for a UK No.1 with a total duration of 9 minutes 38 seconds. It was one of the first songs to be written by Noel Gallagher, with the band rehearsing it as early as 1992. 1999 The Offspring went to No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘Pretty Fly, For A White Guy’. Taken from their fifth studio album Americana the single was a No.1 hit in ten other countries. 2000 Australian band Killing Heidi went to No.1 in the Australian Singles Chart with ‘Mascara/Leave Me Alone’. Staying at the top spot for 3wks. 2003 Girls Aloud were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘Sound Of The Underground’. Canadian singer Avril Laviagne had the UK No.1 album with ‘Let Go.’ 2005 Country singer Lynn Anderson was arrested for shoplifting after being caught stealing a Harry Potter DVD from a New Mexico supermarket and punching a police officer during her arrest. The 57 year-old had the 1970 Top 5 hit ‘Rose Garden’. 2007 Record producer Dave Shayman (also known as Disco D) was found dead at his home in New York City. 26-year-old Shayman was famous for his production work on hip hop records and was a rising star in the business. His death was being treated as a potential suicide after he was recently diagnosed with manic depression. 2008 Amy Winehouse was admitted into rehab in a battle to kick her addiction to drugs. A statement from her record company, Universal said she entered the facility “after talks with her record label, management, family and doctors to continue her ongoing recovery against drug addiction.” 2016 David Bowie was at No.1 on both the UK & US album charts with his twenty-fifth and final studio album Blackstar, Bowie’s only album to top the Billboard 200 in the US. Bowie was the biggest-selling vinyl artist of 2016 in the UK, with five albums in the vinyl Top 30, including Blackstar as the No.1 selling vinyl album of the year. 2017 American drummer Butch Trucks from The Allman Brothers Band died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head in West Palm Beach, Florida, at the age of 69. He played in various groups before forming the 31st of February while at Florida State University in the mid 1960s. He joined the Allman Brothers Band in 1969. Their 1971 live release, At Fillmore East, represented an artistic and commercial breakthrough.